1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a liquid applicator and container and more particularly to an applicator and container suited for the application of a sun tan lotion to an area of a user's skin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art of sun tan lotion applicators, as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,163 to Komala and U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,612 to Mooney, discloses the use of an applicator supporting sponge material for immersion in a supply of sun tan lotion housed in a container. The prior art teaches that the sponge material which has absorbed lotion is wiped across a surface of the skin for application of the lotion carried by the sponge material. See, for example, the construction of the frame 22 supporting applicator arms 22 for wiping application in the Komala patent and the teaching of Mooney regarding wiping application, at Col. 1, lines 47-49, that the "applicator should also provide a soothing feel resembling that of human skin to massage the liquid into the skin."
The prior art does not disclose the use of a compressible layer of closely spaced wick-like members of absorbent material forming a compressible layer to apply a sun tan lotion through rolling contact between the applicator and a surface of skin which offers advantages over the use of a wiped sponge including assurances of uniformly applying a sufficiently thick layer of lotion for protection against skin damage caused by ultraviolet radiation from exposure to the sun as well as providing an applicator which can carry a sufficient amount of lotion to apply a layer of lotion over a large area of skin. Such an increase in carrying capability offers the advantage of coverage of a large area of skin without the need for re-immersion of the applicator in the supply of sun tan lotion.
It is known in the prior art, as disclosed in the Mooney patent, to size the opening of the container which houses the supply of sun tan lotion such that an interference creates compression on the applicator for removal of excess liquid from a saturated applicator. The prior art, however, does not disclose providing an exit reservoir extending from the opening of the container to provide a contained clearance around an exiting applicator for capture and return to the container of either extracted liquid which is forced through the opening with the exiting applicator or liquid which is separated from the applicator beyond the opening as the applicator returns to an unrestrained configuration upon release of the compression.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for applying a liquid, such as a sun tan lotion, to an area of a user's skin.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which facilitates application of a sun tan lotion to a hard to reach area of skin, such as the back of a user.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus having a rotatably supported applicator for applying a sun tan lotion through rolling contact between a layer of saturated material and a user's skin offering the advantage of uniform coverage over the area of skin essentially assuring a minimum layer to utilize the effective ultraviolet protection afforded by the composition of the lotion.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for applying a sun tan lotion to hard to reach areas of a user's skin having an applicator including a compressible layer of closely spaced wick-like members of absorbent material providing the advantages of retention of a large amount of lotion and uniform application of lotion over a large area of skin without the need for re-immersion of the applicator in a supply of sun tan lotion.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for applying a sun tan lotion to a user's skin which includes a container for immersion of an applicator in a supply of lotion having an opening sized for interference with a compressible and absorbent layer of an applicator to remove an excess portion of lotion and an exit reservoir extending from the opening to contain and return lotion separated from the applicator which is either forced through the opening with the applicator or ejected from the compressible layer upon release from the interference with the opening, the combination of the container and exit reservoir offering the advantages of efficiently saturating the applicator and neatly containing the lotion separated from an exiting applicator.